Head of union organization fired after EU donation probe

BRUSSELS (AP) — A major trade union organization has fired its general secretary after he admitted accepting donations from a suspect in a European cash-for-influence scandal. The International Trade Union Confederation said on its website Saturday that “Luca Visentini no longer had the confidence of the General Council as ITUC General Secretary.” Visentini was named to the post in November but suspended the following month after he was taken into custody as Belgian prosecutors probed allegations that Qatari and Moroccan officials paid bribes to influence decisions at the European Parliament. He was not charged and denies involvement. Visentini has admitted accepting a donation from a charity group set up by the man at the center of the scandal.